The State of Theology Among American Evangelicals 2016
Ligonier Ministries & LifeWay Research: What do Americans believe about God, salvation, ethics, and the Bible? Ligonier Ministries and Lifeway Research partnered to find out. These are the fundamental convictions that shape our society.
Don't Like Diversity? You'll Hate Heaven
Dan DeWitt: If you don’t like diversity, you are going to hate heaven. It’s the one place where no one will fight over whose cultural expressions are best suited for God’s work. At the throne of a resurrected Jewish carpenter, Peter and Paul will be standing side by side, surrounded by a radiant sea of people from every tribe and tongue crying out in perfect harmony.
Moralistic Therapeutic Deism
Adam4d.com: A whole new look at the new no-Gospel that is sweeping the nation, all in the name of . . . not Jesus, no. Don’t miss this intriguing read.
The NAE: What is An Evangelical?
Christianity Today: The new report identifies four key statements that define evangelical beliefs, creating what may be the first research-driven creed. Those statements are . . .
19 Turning Points In the History of Theology and Philosophy
Justin Taylor of The Gospel Coalition: Adapted from John Frame’s A History of Western Philosophy and Theology (P&R, 2015).
How Do You Know Jesus REALLY Rose From the Dead?
Timothy Paul Jones of The Gospel Coalition: The witch’s knife plunged deep into the lion’s heart, and the majestic creature quivered and died. For a few seconds, complete silence descended on the movie theater. A slight sniffling beside me broke the stillness, and that’s when I heard my 9-year-old daughter whisper a rather profound word of wisdom to her friend: Don’t worry, He doesn’t stay dead. I read the book.
Secular Writer on The Doctrine of Hell in American History.
Aaron Menikoff of the Gospel Coalition: It serves Christians well to think critically about history, and Kathryn Gin Lum is as a reliable guide, exploring the writings of early Americans who thought deeply about hell. She gives us no reason to think she’s a Christian, but she’s curious, and her impetus for the research may be the question, “Why do so many Americans in the 21st century still believe in a holy God who eternally punishes unrepentant sinners?”
The Twisting of the Gospel
Chelsen Vicari of Charisma: Peek behind the curtain of some “progressive” or “hip” evangelical churches, past the savvy technology and secular music, and you will find more than just a contemporary worship service. You’ll find faith leaders encouraging young evangelicals to trade in their Christian convictions for a gospel filled with compromise. They’re slowly attempting to give evangelicalism an “update”—and the change is not for the good . . .
Pastor OR Theologian or Pastor AND Theologian?
Douglas Webster: REVIEW: Gerald Hiestand and Todd Wilson like to tell the story of a girl and her father strolling through a church graveyard. The daughter reads the headstone inscriptions out loud to her father. She comes upon one that lists “Pastor Theologian.” She pauses, then announces, “Papa, they have two people buried here!”
Study Finds Growing Churches Read Bible Literally, Dying Churches Do Not
Theology Matters: Comparing the Traits of Growing and Declining Mainline Protestant Church Attendees and Clergy: A five-year study of growing and shrinking churches in Canada revealed that theology is critical for church survival, and even for attracting younger people. Beliefs based on a literal interpretation of the Bible, the importance of converting people to Christianity, and the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ are strongest in growing churches, and weakest in churches on the decline.
For the Bible Tells Me So . . . Denied Yet Again
Albert Mohler, President of Southern Seminary: A true defense of the Christian faith has never been more needed than now, but an attempt to rescue Christianity from its dependence upon Scripture is doomed to disaster. Al Mohler responds to Andy Stanley’s recent deconstruction of “the Bible tells me so.”
A Former Muslim Answers the Question: Do Christians and Muslims Worship the Same God?
Julie Roys: Qureshi grew up in a devout Muslim home, but converted to Christianity. Qureshi is an itinerant speaker with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries and is pursuing a doctorate in New Testament studies at Oxford University. A few days ago, I interviewed Qureshi to get his thoughts on the current controversy.
AUDIO & TEXT: The Doctrine of Substitutionary Atonement Explained
John Piper: “(This) is what justice is. Justice, or righteousness, is that the glory of God is to be restored to its rightful place of exaltation and admiration.” Piper discusses how the death of Jesus restored the glory of God to its rightful place, and so, restored us to right relationship with God.
Is the Reformation Over?
R.C. Spiral: The dispute over justification is not over a technical point of theology that could be consigned to the fringes of the depository of biblical truth. Nor can it be seen simply as a tempest in a teapot. This tempest extends far beyond the tiny volume of a single teacup. The question, “what must I do to be saved?” is still a critical question for any person who is exposed to the wrath of God.
What Does Christianity Say About Jesus Christ? Five Critical Truths.
J. Warner Wallace: For over two thousand years, seekers and believers have examined the person of Jesus in an effort to understand who He was and what He said about Himself. All of us, whether we are believers or not, believe something about the man named Jesus. Did He really live? Was He just a man? Is He God?
All Doctrines Are NOT of the Same Importance: Doctrinal Categories Explained
Justin Taylor of the Gospel Coalition: The ability to discern the relative importance of theological beliefs is vital for effective Christian life and ministry. Both the purity and unity of the church are at stake in this matter. The relative importance of theological issues can within clear and understandable categories . . .
10 Things I Wish Everyone Knew About Arminianism
Joseph Dongell of Asbury Seminary: The differences between Arminianism and Calvinism might not be exactly what you think . . .
Biblical Illiteracy in the Church: One Reason You MAY Not Have Known (And What The Church Can Do About It)
Sara Kay Mooney: Reading and writing are deeply woven into the fabric of our faith. The truths underpinning our faith, the foundation of what we believe, come from a book that spans thousands of pages. Scripture is brimming with commands related to reading and writing. What does it mean to worship and follow a God who is called Logos—The Word—when you yourself can’t read?
Why "No Creed But the Bible" is Lousy Doctrine
Ligon Duncan of The Gospel Coalition: Is it biblical for the church to write and use confessions of faith? Ligon Duncan explains why it is not only biblical to be a confessional Christian, but why it’s impossible to NOT be one.
Can We Sing Too Much About the Cross?
Bob Kauflin of Desiring God: Years ago I talked with a respected Christian leader about the need for our songs to refer more often and concretely to the cross of Christ. His response caught me off guard. “I think Matt Redman has written enough songs about the cross for all of us.” Really?
Following Rob Bell: The Edges of Faith and the Center of the Zeitgeist
Dustin Messer of Kuyperian Commentary The prophetic voice of the American church has gone hoarse. The issue is the pulpit and those who fill it. Case in point: The Rob Bell Narcissistic Pastoral Model.
In Praise of the Everyday Theologian
Sarah Bessey of Christianity Today: Credentials are no replacement for knowing Christ. And when we encounter someone who knows Christ, well, that person gets to play (do theology), and we get to play (do theology) with them.
C.S. Lewis: Theology & Practice of Worship
Justin Taylor: Lewis is a neglected voice in worship conversations, and the recovery of his perspective can only serve to strengthen our investigation into this crucial subject, which should lead to our engagement with the living triune God . . .
Are You Willing to Question What YOU Believe?
Josh Havens of Theology in Progress: I often find myself asking “Why?” a lot in church. Why should we sing songs? Why should we listen to a sermon? Why should we be together as Christians? Sometimes I feel a bit cynical. It often leads to some doubts. But the more questions I ask, the more God confirms the truth of Scripture . . .
Salon.com Theological Research Department: The Bible is NOT True & Jesus NEVER Lived.
Jeffrey Taylor, Writing in Salon.com: If we reject the Bible, we are left with one conclusion: no respect can be accorded to the cult of Christianity. No credibility can attach to any organization in based on, trafficking in, or promoting this cult. No individuals, be they popes, priests, or pastors, merit deference when acting in their official capacity. No policy, be it regarding contraception, biological research, abortion, marriage, or the right to die, should enjoy our favor if it takes as its basis doctrines arising from this cult . . .
The Problems IN Naturalism
Andrew Ferguson of the Weekly Standard: A few days before Halloween and about a month after the publication of Mind and Cosmos, the controversial new book by the philosopher Thomas Nagel, several of the world’s leading philosophers gathered with a group of cutting-edge scientists in the conference room of a charming inn in the Berkshires. They faced one another around a big table set with pitchers of iced water and trays of hard candies wrapped in cellophane and talked and talked, as public intellectuals do. And then the elephant appeared in the room . . .
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